Chapter 2: Beyond Saving

Jonathan headed back to the village to pack up his things, ready to leave. As he was about to head to the field to pick a few cucumbers for the road, he noticed a group of people entering the village from the main gate. There were seven of them. Five were men in black suits with sunglasses, clearly bodyguards with strong builds. They formed a protective circle around an elderly man and a young woman. The old man, looking about seventy, was in a wheelchair, with a lifeless aura around him. Behind him stood a young woman in her twenties with a curvy figure and long black hair. Her pretty face showed a bit of cold arrogance. "Excuse me, can you tell us how to get to White Cloud Temple?" the young woman asked as she pushed the wheelchair forward. Jonathan didn't answer right away. Instead, he looked the woman up and down, admiring her figure. Wow, this girl is even prettier than Emma! The woman's face turned dark. "Have you seen enough?" Jonathan shook his head instinctively. "Not enough. I could look at a beauty like you all day and still not get enough." As soon as he said that, he noticed her expression becoming more unpleasant. "Disgusting," the woman snapped, glaring at Jonathan. She turned to the old man and said, "Grandpa, let's go. There's no point wasting time with him." With that, she began to push the old man away. But her words didn't sit well with Jonathan. So what if he looked at her a couple of times? Jonathan spoke up, "I can tell you're here looking for a doctor." "How did you know?" the woman asked, suddenly on guard. Her grandfather's illness and their visit to find the genius doctor were supposed to be top secret. No one should have known! "It's obvious. The old man's face is dark, and he's full of death. He's already beyond saving, right?" Jonathan said casually. The woman's face changed, and she shouted angrily, "What nonsense are you talking about!" The five bodyguards stepped forward, ready to teach this mouthy guy a lesson at the girl's command. "Hold on!" the old man in the wheelchair spoke in a raspy voice. "Grandpa, you..." The woman wanted to say something, but the old man waved her off, stopping her mid-sentence. The old man turned to Jonathan and said, "Young man, you're right. I'm gravely ill. I came here to find Dr. Mia Ford to seek her help. If you know where White Cloud Temple is, please tell me, and I'll reward you handsomely." "You're too late. White Cloud Temple is gone, and everyone's left," Jonathan replied. "What did you say?!" Everyone's face changed, especially the young woman's, which turned even more grim. To cure her grandfather's illness, their entire family used all their resources. It took nearly five years to finally find out that Mia lived at White Cloud Temple. She had gone through a lot to bring her grandfather here, only to be told that White Cloud Temple was destroyed! "No way, it can't be. You must be lying!" The woman bit her lip, visibly upset. Jonathan shrugged. "White Cloud Temple is halfway up the mountain. Go take a look if you don't believe me." With that, Jonathan turned and headed into the field to pick cucumbers. He had to hurry up and leave, or he'd miss the bus. The woman, with tears in her eyes, sent one of the bodyguards to check. A few minutes later, the bodyguard returned and quietly said, "Miss, the temple is indeed destroyed." Hearing this, the woman's hope shattered. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Grandpa, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..." But the old man just smiled and gently patted her hand. "It's alright, Evelyn. I know you've done a lot for me. It's fate. This is my destiny. Let's go back," he said. "Grandpa!" Evelyn cried, her tears flowing uncontrollably. Just then, Jonathan came back with a bag full of cucumbers. Seeing the scene, he commented, "Hey, old man, you've got late-stage liver cancer, huh? You've got less than three months left. Why are you still wandering around? Go back and enjoy your last days." With that, Jonathan turned to leave. But his words made the old man pause. How did this young man know he had late-stage liver cancer? And how did he know, just like the doctors who had examined him, that he had only three months left? Being able to diagnose his illness at a glance was something only Mia could do. Could this young man have a connection to her? "Young man, please wait!" the old man quickly called out. "What now? I've got a bus to catch. Don't waste my time," Jonathan said impatiently. "May I ask if you know Dr. Mia Ford?" the old man inquired. Jonathan replied, "She's my godmother. What do you think?" The old man's heart leaped with excitement. He's Mia's godson! The old man hurriedly said, "Young man, since you're Dr. Mia Ford's godson, could you take a look at my illness?" Evelyn stopped crying, her face full of hope as she looked at Jonathan. "I can treat you, but I don't have time right now. I need to catch a bus," Jonathan said. The bus would be leaving soon, and he still had to get to the train station. He didn't have time to treat an old man right now. "If you can cure my grandfather, we'll give you any amount of money you want," Evelyn quickly offered. Hearing the mention of money, Jonathan's eyes lit up as he looked at the girl. "How much?" While picking cucumbers, Jonathan had checked his bag. His godmothers had left him only five hundred bucks for the train fare. He was really short on cash. Charlotte had given him a card, but he had no idea how to use it, so it was just sitting in his pocket. "One million," the girl immediately said. One million! Jonathan was stunned. Damn, this girl was loaded! One million bucks! Jonathan had never seen so much money in his life! "If you think that's not enough, just name your price. I'll have it transferred to your account immediately. As long as you can cure my grandfather, we'll agree to any conditions!" Evelyn quickly added, thinking Jonathan was unsatisfied with the offer. "It's enough... it's enough!" Jonathan hurriedly replied. Damn, one million! I'm about to become a millionaire, the richest person in the village! "Since you agreed, when will you treat my grandfather?" Evelyn asked. "Right now. Just let me grab my needles!" Jonathan quickly said, worried they might change their minds. He pulled out the Taiyi Divine Needle from his bag and walked over to the old man. The old man smiled warmly and said, "My name is William Ford, and this is my granddaughter Evelyn. May I ask for your name, young man?" "I'm Jonathan Cornell. That's not important. What matters is that we agreed: once I cure you, you'll give me a million," Jonathan said. William laughed heartily. "Dr. Cornell, rest assured. My granddaughter's word is as good as mine. I always keep my promises!" With that assurance, Jonathan's excitement soared. Getting paid a million bucks just for treating someone—he never imagined his medical skills could be worth so much!